Time Stands Still
by XxAngelxX911
Summary: Based On Spoilers For The Episode With Tired Eyes, Tired Minds, Tired Souls, We Slept. Someone brings a gun to Tree Hill High and lives hang in the balance.


**WARNING: This fic deals with spoilers from upcoming episodes as well as some harsh language and harsh situations. So be fully warned, shall you choose to read on, hehehe!**

Authors Note: Hey Everyone, So I just saw the latest episode of One Tree Hill, not to mention the preview for the 'hostage situation' in two weeks and my head was spinning, I had to write this. Anyways, I think this will only be a one-shot, but who knows. Let me know what you think okay? Thanks!

Summary: This story deals with the hostage situation. Lucas is faced with the hardest decision of his life as he races to save the lives of everyone he loves. In the end, someone will lose their life (Yes, a character death)

---

_Time Stands Still_

The doors of Tree Hill High flew open as students rushed out of school on that Friday afternoon. Some were just looking forward to their weekends, some wanted to hurry home and get ready for the huge game between the Ravens and the Bear Creek Warriors tonight, other's were just plain psyched that Spring break was only a week away, but no one was prepared for the hell that would rain on Tree Hill High in mere minutes.

"So dude, are you ready for Bear Creek tonight?" Nathan asked as he and Lucas walked out of the main entrance of Tree Hill High.

"Oh yeah" Lucas nodded "We're going to kick ass"

"Don't you mean, I'm going to kick ass. You'll just be lagging behind" Nathan smirked

Lucas pushed Nathan's shoulder "Thanks for the vote of confidence Nate"

Nathan laughed "Hey, what are brothers for?"

Lucas shrugged and was about to reply when screams were heard and sounds of gunfire rang through the air.

"Holy shit" Nathan stated as he and Lucas turned to look back at the school "What the hell was that?"

"It sounded like gunshots" Lucas stated

Nathan nodded and glanced at his watch "I'm supposed to meet Haley in the parking lot in two minutes; I got to go see if she's there"

Lucas nodded "Okay"

Nathan jogged off toward the parking lot as Brooke ran from the building. Lucas didn't seem to notice his girlfriend running toward him as he stared up at the school like everyone else waiting for response as to what the screaming and noise that just occurred was.

"Lucas" Brooke stated as she reached him

He looked down at his upset girlfriend, instantly worried about her.

"What is it babe?" he asked

"I lost Peyton" she whispered

"What do you mean?" Lucas asked

"We were at our lockers and this kid I didn't know approached us. He pulled out a gun and asked which one was first, he was rambling about killing all the kids that ruined his life and took everything from him. Anyways, somebody distracted him and he lowered the gun and turned. I instantly took off and when I turned back to make sure Peyton had followed I noticed she was still standing in front of the locker frozen and the kid had his gun on her again. He told her to beg him for her life, but she was frozen. She didn't move, didn't speak. I took off, figured I should get help, but that's when I heard the gunshots" Brooke explained, her throat choking up and tears falling from her eyes.

"Are you telling me Peyton was shot?" Lucas asked her

"I don't know Luke" Brooke whispered

Lucas pulled Brooke into hug as he stared up at the school. He turned to see swat trucks and police cars speeding toward the scene.

"Lucas" Nathan yelled running up to him and Brooke.

"What?" Lucas asked turning to look at him

"Haley wasn't in the parking lot, so I called her cell. Apparently some kid Jimmy that you guys knew shot Peyton, and some kid she didn't know. Afterwards he saw Rachel running somewhere and he took off after her. She said she didn't hear anymore gunshots afterwards so she thinks that he didn't get her. She said her and Bevin checked Peyton and the other kid, but the other kid wasn't breathing. So her and Bevin pulled Peyton into the closet of Ms. Hathaway's room, 201. We have to get in there and get them" Nathan explained

"Oh my god Peyton" Brooke whispered

Lucas looked lost "Okay, Mrs. Turner always keeps her window open. She's on the first floor; we'll crawl through the window and get upstairs to the girls"

Nathan nodded "Let's do it"

Lucas nodded and turned to Brooke who held on to him for dear life "It's okay Brooke, we'll get them"

"Let me come with you" Brooke begged

Lucas shook his head "No way, it's too dangerous"

"I can't loose you Lucas" Brooke whispered

Lucas kissed her nose "You won't, I promise"

Brooke nodded "I love you"

Lucas smiled "Back at you babe"

Brooke hugged Lucas and let him go before hugging Nathan and then letting him too go.

"Be safe" she whispered

They nodded as they took of running toward the back of the school where Mrs. Turner's room was.

---

"Is your cell phone on vibrate?" Haley whispered

"What?" Bevin asked as she cradled Peyton's head on her legs

"Your cell, if it goes off. He'll hear it" Haley whispered

Bevin nodded and pulled it out "It's off"

Haley nodded "Good, so Nathan knows where we are. He'll come for us; we just need her to hang on"

"Her breathing is getting shallow" Bevin noted

Haley nodded "I know, I hear it"

Tears cascaded down Bevin's cheek as Haley wrapped her arm around the now silently sobbing girl, the tears now falling down Haley's cheeks as well.

---

"Yes" Nathan stated as he and Lucas crawled through the window "We're in"

"Keep your voice down" Lucas whispered

"Come on" Nathan stated as they walked toward the door and peeked out it, no one in sight.

They ran down the corridor and finally came to the stairs. They ran up the stairs when Lucas stopped abruptly and Nathan turned to stare at him.

"What the hell are you doing?" Nathan asked

Lucas seemed to be zoned out "Do you hear that?"

"No what" Nathan stated, impatiently

Lucas turned and quietly walked down the stairs following a sound he heard. Nathan followed him, still not hearing anything. They got to the bottom of the staircase and that's when Nathan heard what Lucas had been hearing, a faint sob. They walked to the cave behind the stairs and found Rachel curled into a ball sobbing.

"Rachel" Lucas whispered, kneeling in front of her

Her head shot up and relaxed upon seeing Lucas, she wrapped her arms around him.

"Thank god" she whispered in his ear

"We got to go" Nathan suggested

Lucas nodded and helped her stand up "Are you okay?"

Rachel nodded "Yeah, Peyton was shot, so was this kid from my chem. class. I tried to distract the shooter and he followed, luckily I found a place to hide and he didn't find me"

Lucas nodded "Do you have any idea where he is now?"

Rachel shrugged "Last I knew, he went upstairs"

"Shit" Lucas cursed

"What?" Rachel asked nervously

"Bevin and Haley got Peyton, she's okay. The other kid is dead though, they're hiding in a closet in room 201" Nathan explained

Rachel nodded "Well let's go get them"

Lucas nodded and the three ran up the stairs. When they came to the top they cautiously looked around the corner and saw no one in sight. They ran down the hallway and looked around the corner to see Jimmy pacing the hallway.

"Damn it" Lucas cursed "He's right there, we're screwed"

"I'll distract him, get into that room, lock the door" Nathan told him

"No way" Lucas whispered "I'm not letting you get shot or worse killed, I'm the older brother"

"If you want to get Peyton out alive, you'll go and let me distract this kid. Besides, I pass out at the sign of blood, so I'm of no help to them. They need someone strong to carry her out" Nathan told him

Lucas sighed "Be careful Nate"

Nathan nodded "I will"

Lucas nodded "Technically you do run faster"

Nathan smirked and took the corner. Jimmy stopped and looked at him. He smirked.

"Perfect, another popular person" Jimmy stated and started toward him. Nathan took off running and Jimmy too started running, but he was nowhere fast enough to catch a speeding Nate. As soon as the coast was clear Rachel and Lucas took off running toward the classroom. They got inside, shut the door and locked it.

"I'll keep a look out" Rachel suggested "You know incase Nate comes back"

Lucas nodded and headed toward the closet. He opened the door startling both Bevin and Haley, he glanced around.

"Damn teachers have a lot of closet space" Lucas commented

"Crisis here" Haley stated

Lucas looked down "Sorry is she okay?"

"We need to get her to a doctor Luke, her breathing is becoming shallower and shallower and her pulse is slowing down" Haley told him

Lucas kneeled next to her, rubbing her cheek "Can you here me Peyton?"

Peyton's eyes open slightly and her lips quivered.

"We've been trying to wake her up forever" Haley stated

"It's going to be okay Peyton, we're going to get you help" Lucas told her

"Pain" she croaked out

He nodded "I know, just hold on"

"Tired" she whispered, her eyelids felt like metal blocks.

"Just try and stay awake, okay" Lucas encouraged as he pulled her into his arms, cradled her and stood up holding her. Haley and Bevin followed.

"Is the coast clear?" Lucas asked Rachel

Rachel nodded, her eyes catching on to Peyton's wound.

"She's bleeding right through that material Luke" Rachel stated

Luke glanced down at her thigh and cursed. He laid her down on the table and quickly took off his shirt, leaving him in only his undershirt. He wrapped the shirt around her leg and pulled it tight.

She winced in pain.

"I'm sorry baby, we got to stop the bleeding" Lucas whispered as he pulled her back into his arms.

Lucas hadn't noticed the endearing term he used, but the other three girls sure had noticed.

"Let's go" Lucas stated, pulling the door open and walking into the hall

Brooke was running towards them. Lucas stared at her.

"What the hell are you doing in here?" Lucas asked

"Three more gunshots were fired Luke and I freaked so I went through the window and here I am" Brooke explained

Lucas felt like the wind was knocked out of him "Nathan"

"What about him?" Haley asked "I talked to him, he was outside"

Lucas shook his head "He was with Rachel and I, but he distracted Jimmy so we could get in here and get you guys"

"Oh no" Haley whispered as she fell into Brooke's arms.

"We got to get out of here" Lucas stated

"No" Haley cried "Not without Nathan"

"Haley the best thing you can do for Nathan right now is save yourself" Brooke told her

Lucas nodded "I'll get you guys out of here and go back for him Hales, I swear"

"Well well well, the gangs all here. Except for Nathan" Jimmy smirked walking towards them

"NO" Haley screamed

"Go" Lucas whispered to everyone, his lips not moving.

Bevin and Rachel took off running, hoping to get help.

"Now where are they going?" Jimmy smirked "Anyways, whose next Luke?"

"What do you mean? Why are you doing this Jimmy, we were best friends" Lucas told him

"I know" Jimmy smirked "Before they took you away. Now I'm making them all pay, so whose next. Your girlfriend or am I finishing the blonde off"

"Don't hurt them" Lucas stated "Take me"

Jimmy laughed "You don't get it. You're my friend Luke; I don't want to hurt you, or Haley, but the people who took you away, now they're a different story. So pick, who gets the next bullet?"

Lucas fell to his knees with Peyton in his arms. All the strength draining from his body. Haley and Brooke watched on, terror in there eyes.

"You killed him" Haley whispered "How could you kill my husband Jimmy?"

Jimmy looked toward Haley, his gun trained. Jimmy smirked "Because he was in the way Hales"

Haley sobbed as Brooke held her and Jimmy turned his attention back towards Lucas.

"Choose now Lucas or they both die" Jimmy ordered

"Why?" Lucas screamed

Jimmy smirked "This should be a no brainer, the girl you love over her best friend, so why do you care so much if the blonde dies"

Tears were now falling from Lucas' eyelids as he hung his head and his tears dripped on to Peyton's solemn face, she was unconscious again.

"I can't decide between them" Lucas screamed

Jimmy smiled "Too bad, I guess they'll both have to die then"

Jimmy cocked his gun at Peyton's head.

"No" Lucas screamed as a cold hard object made contact with Jimmy's head and he fell to the ground and didn't move.

"Thank god" Lucas whispered as he looked up at Nathan who held a block in one hand and his other hand held material to the bleeding wound on his leg.

Haley was in his arms and he dropped the object, wrapping the now free arm around his wife.

"Thank god, thank god" she whispered in his ear

Lucas rose to his feet, Peyton in his arms. Brooke came to stand next to him.

"Was anyone else shot?" Lucas asked

Nathan nodded "Whitey was shot in the stomach; I got him out and then came back for you guys"

Lucas nodded and stepped over Jimmy's unconscious body as he carried Peyton in his arms to safety, Brooke at his side and Nathan and Haley following close behind.

---

Lucas sat in the hard chair in the waiting room of Tree Hill General. He'd been there for hours, first just him, Brooke, and Haley. Then Nathan joined them after his wound was stitched up. Whitey was doing okay; they were keeping him at the hospital overnight for observation. Karen and Keith sat opposite the teens waiting for news on Peyton.

The doctor emerged and walked over to the group of people.

"We just talked to Larry Sawyer over the phone; he's getting the first ferry back. He said to tell anyone waiting what's going on. So with that permission I tell you that she is going to be just fine. She lost a ton of blood, but she has some will to live. Does she have a boyfriend?" he explained

Brooke shook her head "No"

The doctor shrugged his shoulders "Usually when we see a fighter like that the person is very in love, you know they say love can beat anything. Anyways, were keeping her overnight for observations. You can see her, but only one at a time"

Lucas went in first, she smiled at him.

"Hey" she whispered

Lucas took a seat and smiled "The doctor says you're in love, that's why you're such a fighter"

"Well the doctor is right" Peyton whispered "If today taught me anything, it's that life is so short and lying about your feelings will only cause more pain"

Lucas smiled "I know"

"Lucas I…" Peyton started

"I know Peyton" Lucas smiled and grabbed her hand, holding it tightly "I know"

---

Keith walked out of the hospital and over to his truck. Karen had sent him on his way. She was waiting for Lucas then she too would be heading home. She sent him home because it was late and she knew he had to work early. Dan stood by his truck waiting for him.

"What are you doing here Dan?" Keith asked

"I heard about the shoot out" Dan stated "Nathan and Lucas are okay right?"

Keith nodded "Only one student died, none of the kids knew him"

Dan nodded "I got the papers today"

Keith sighed "What papers Dan?"

"You're adopting Lucas" Dan whispered

Keith sighed "I practically raised him as if he were my own, what's the difference Dan"

Dan pulled the gun from his pants and pointed it at a speechless Keith.

"He's my son Keith" Dan told him "You either stop the adoption or you force me to stop it myself"

Keith laughed "You're going to kill me Dan after everything I've done for you"

Dan smirked "What's the verdict Keith?"

"I will make him my son" Keith answered

A scream came from Karen's lips as Dan pulled the trigger and placed a bullet into Keith's heart. Keith fell to the ground, dieing instantly. Dan looked toward a frozen Karen with Lucas at her side. He'd just murdered their future. No one ever took what belonged to Dan Scott and got away with it.

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**Well, I think it fits as a one shot, but I also think it could be more. What do you all think? I feel so much better now that I got this story out, it was driving me nuts. Anyways, please review. I hope you liked it. Thanks!**

**Britt**


End file.
